What should a virtual venue look like?

The events industry is changing rapidly, in every respect. The last year has revolutionised the way we communicate, meet, and work, but there is one aspect of event organisation in particular that has been completely overturned: venues. Since virtual and digital events are now the only option and since, because of this extraordinary situation, many people have discovered the advantages of virtual events, interest in virtual venues has grown quickly and exponentially. Which are the main requirements for a virtual venue?

The importance of virtual venues in online events

First of all, it is important to understand why an online event needs a venue. After all, aren’t we all used to talk for hours on Zoom and Skype by now? No doubt we are, but our idea of events is very different. An event should be a shared and intense emotional experience, not an uncomfortable cross between a phone call and a poorly shot TV show. To offer the audience a truly memorable experience, it is not enough to turn on a couple of webcams and start talking. Today, fortunately, technology allows us to add enormous production value to virtual events. And that’s where the choice of venue comes in.

What is a virtual venue?

A virtual venue can be an entirely 3D-built virtual environment in which attendees move around with their avatars as in a video game, or it can be a recording studio designed specifically for webcasting. The first type is normally used during virtual trade shows since it is possible to create venues that can accommodate a large number of users at the same time and create special rooms for exhibitors. The second type of venue, on the other hand, is designed for broadcasts with presenters or moderators, who are often filmed in a green screen setting, so that their image can be projected in real-time, onto a virtual background. This allows the event organiser to build a virtual venue around real people.

The advantages of virtual venues

Online events are now perceived as “content” in the same way as the offer of streaming platforms. And, as we know, production quality makes a difference in terms of the kind of event (or content) that audiences are happy to pay for and the kind that doesn’t attract them or can’t justify the cost of a ticket. Professional lighting, an interactive and carefully created background, the possibility to establish a direct, effective dialogue, giving the audience the chance to share a meaningful experience: these are the elements that fascinate and engage an audience. Another fundamental element that affects the quality of virtual venues is sound: if it is not perfect and professional, the entire quality of the event will suffer.

Easy sponsorship

For events using sponsors, virtual venues present enormous advantages. Branding a virtual space is infinitely easier and less expensive than branding a physical one. There are no banners to print or totems to place: just adapt the graphic files to the required format and then you can plan the audience’s interaction with the content to create a truly memorable brand experience.